Can Stress Cause High Blood Pressure?
People often ask, can stress cause high blood pressure? The short answer is yes. The psychological experience of stress can indeed contribute to this physical health issue. Let's take a closer look at how this can happen by discussing different ways chronic stress can manifest in the body and impact heart health.
Can stress cause high blood pressure
When we encounter a stressful situation, our body releases stress hormones that trigger the fight or flight response, causing a temporary increase in blood pressure. Developing healthy habits like physical activity and managing stress can help control high blood pressure and promote overall well-being.
Let’s take a closer look at how this can happen by discussing different ways stress can manifest in the body.
The connection between stress and high blood pressure
Long-term or chronic stress can contribute to elevated blood pressure. According to the American Heart Association, this can increase your risk for heart attacks, stroke, and other heart health concerns.
Managing stress through healthy lifestyle choices and stress reduction techniques can be important when managing high blood pressure with your health care professional. Your doctor can also educate you about related health topics to improve your overall well-being.
Incorporating regular exercise, a balanced diet, and seeking appropriate healthcare are essential steps in maintaining overall heart health and effectively managing stress and high blood pressure.
Acute stress vs. chronic stress
Acute stress
Stress is a set of reactions your body may employ in order to respond to a threat or demand. These reactions are hardwired in us and intended to help keep us safe. This state of high alert and reactivity is intended to be a temporary one—activated until we can remove ourselves from the threat. How we feel in a situation like this is known as acute stress. Acute stress can feel intense and even cause your blood pressure to rise, but likely only for an hour or two. (An exception might be if you already have high blood pressure, or if you have heart problems related to a preexisting condition.) Once the job interview, date, speech, etc. that you were stressed about is over, your body can switch off the stress response and you can return to your natural state.
Chronic stress
Chronic stress, on the other hand, is what happens when your stress response is prolonged because the stressor doesn’t go away. It refers to constant or near-constant levels of stress that last for weeks, months, or even longer. A person might experience this if they have a stressful job or are going through a divorce, for instance. Living with a stress disorder like anxiety can also cause consistently elevated stress levels. It’s also important to note that someone who has experienced intense acute stress may also develop chronic stress as a result of it, potentially resulting in a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or a specific phobia.
If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.
If you’re experiencing chronic stress, it may be wise to speak with a healthcare provider about what you might be able to do to manage it and its potential physical effects.
How the stress response can cause high blood pressure
Stress isn't just an emotion; it's also a complex biological process involving a chain of chemical reactions known as the stress response or the fight or flight response. This response causes your heart to beat harder and faster, causing higher blood pressure. Simultaneously, your blood vessels change size in certain areas, directing more blood away from internal organs and towards your muscles to receive essential oxygen and nutrients.
While these reactions may have helped our ancient ancestors, modern-day stressors rarely require physical exertion. As a result, the stress response can often raise blood pressure and cause the heart to beat faster without cause. When the stress response is triggered too often or lasts too long, it can put your health at risk, contributing to heart disease and increasing the likelihood of heart attacks. Stress management techniques, such as exercise and meditation, can help lower blood pressure and reduce the negative effects of unhealthy ways of coping.
Potential long-term impacts of chronic stress
The human body isn't designed to sustain the activated stress state for extended periods, which is why those experiencing chronic stress may notice adverse physical health effects, including high blood pressure and impacts on the entire cardiovascular system. Learning to manage stress to control high blood pressure or other comorbid conditions can help you to live a healthier, fuller life.
Risk for heart diseases
An individual with chronic stress may develop an enlarged heart due to the heart muscle working harder and faster. This enlargement can limit blood flow and cause strain on the rest of the body, increasing the risk of heart attack, heart disease, or heart failure.
Other major body system complications
Additionally, prolonged stress can lead to damaged blood vessels, making it harder for them to transport enough blood. People with chronic stress often experience muscle tension, digestive complications, and respiratory issues. The stress response affects every major body system, which is why the potential health risk factors of chronic stress are broad and severe. Implementing methods to manage stress and mood can help mitigate these negative effects and promote better overall health.
Tips for managing stress
If you feel you may be experiencing chronic stress, there are many different lifestyle changes you can adopt to help manage it. The better you’re able to get your stress levels under control, the more likely you may be to avoid high blood pressure and other stress-related complications. Here are a few you can try.
Remove unnecessary stressors
At times, stress is inevitable, but if you're experiencing chronic stress, it's essential to assess your life to identify and remove unnecessary stressors. Implementing small changes can make a significant difference in reducing stress. For instance, opting for public transport instead of dealing with stressful traffic on your daily commute can alleviate stress. Additionally, avoiding a poor diet can help in supporting your overall well-being.
Try meditation for your mental health
A robust body of research now points to the potentially powerful effects of a regular meditation practice, especially when it’s mindfulness-based. For instance, one study found that meditation produced a relaxation response in participants—who had never meditated before—and even reduced the adverse effects of stress when practiced before a stressful event. Other studies have looked at meditation and blood pressure directly, finding that this practice may moderately lower it.
Exercise regularly
You’re likely aware that adopting a regular exercise routine can have health benefits, but did you know that studies have shown that it can reduce blood pressure too? Other research has also shown that exercise can increase a person’s resilience to stressful events, making it easier to “bounce back” after experiencing one.
Eat a healthy diet Focus on nutrition
It’s long been understood that a healthy diet—like one that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low on sugar and sodium—can reduce a person’s risk of developing high blood pressure. Research also shows that eating nutrient-rich foods can provide the body with the fuel it needs to respond to stress.
Online therapy can help with stress and other mental health concerns and conditions
Engaging in therapy is a valuable strategy to consider if you're experiencing chronic stress or need assistance in managing acute stress when it occurs. A therapist can help you identify situations or emotions that may trigger your stress response and teach you to reduce stress through healthier coping methods. They provide a safe space for you to express and process your feelings related to stressors. Moreover, therapists can assist in developing coping mechanisms that lead to improved mental and physical health outcomes. If you're dealing with a mental health condition like anxiety or PTSD, which contributes to chronic stress, they can also support you in managing your symptoms as your body releases stress.
The benefits of talking to a mental health professional online
Some people find the process of commuting to a physical office and meeting with a provider in person to be stressful. If you’d prefer to receive the guidance and support of a therapist virtually, online therapy is an option. Research suggests that both online and in-person therapy sessions can offer similar benefits, so you can typically choose the method that feels best for you. If you’re interested in online therapy, you might consider trying a platform like BetterHelp. You can fill out a quick questionnaire about your needs and preferences and get matched with a licensed therapist who you can meet with via phone, video call, and/or online chat. They can help you address whatever challenges you may be facing related to stress and its effects.
Takeaway
Frequently asked questions
Read more below for answers to questions commonly asked about this topic.
Does emotional stress raise blood pressure?
Emotional stress can cause elevated blood pressure. When we encounter a high-stress situation, our body releases stress hormones that trigger the fight or flight response, causing a temporary increase in blood pressure. Being in this state of fight or flight also increases heart rate which has been shown to increase blood pressure as well.
While temporary emotional stress may not increase blood pressure in the long term, having prolonged, daily stress will keep stress hormones high and may increase blood pressure in the long run.
How much can stress increase blood pressure?
According to a 2022 study, stress and blood pressure are linked, with stress causing an average systolic blood pressure increase of 15.2 mmHG, and a diastolic blood pressure increase of 8.5 mmHg. Stress affects blood pressure differently in different people, however, lower stress is generally linked to lower blood pressure, while higher stress is linked to higher blood pressure.
How do you know if you have high blood pressure from stress?
It can be tricky to tell if high blood pressure is a result of stress or some other biological or psychological factor. After a stressful event or if you are experiencing chronic stress, a doctor may look at your current blood pressure and compare it with your pre-stress level.
If they find that hypertension coincides with the start of your stress, they may ask you to make lifestyle changes to reduce stress. Your doctor may then closely monitor your blood pressure to see if it is impacted by the reduced stress, if so, it is likely that stress is a major contributor.
How do you cope with hypertension?
Managing hypertension may require a multifaceted approach involving medication and lifestyle changes. A doctor may prescribe healthy habits to help manage stress including:
Exercise
Eating a balanced diet
Avoiding drinking too much alcohol
Practicing self-care
Practicing mindfulness
Knowing your stress triggers
Practicing gratitude
Reducing stress, along with medication can help to lower blood pressure over time.
Can lack of sleep cause high blood pressure?
Blood pressure is reduced during routine sleep, any interruption in this process means that blood pressure remains higher for longer. In addition, not getting enough sleep or experiencing disrupted sleep patterns may also cause stress while awake. This means that not only does lack of sleep directly increase blood pressure, but it also increases stress which, in turn, increases blood pressure.
How can I reduce my high blood pressure from stress?
Reducing stress-related high blood pressure begins with looking at what is causing stress in the first place. In some cases, you may be able to change or cut out the cause of stress. For example, if you are stressed because you are frequently late to work, you may reduce this stress by leaving earlier or giving yourself more time to get to where you need to go.
Treatment plan for reducing stress
It is not always possible to cut out stressors, finances, family, and general life events may all cause stress and do not always have a simple fix. In this case, it may be beneficial to work with a therapist to develop a plan to reduce stress. The plan may include:
Exercise
Eating a balanced diet
Avoiding drinking too much alcohol
Practicing self-care
Practicing mindfulness
Knowing your stress triggers
Practicing gratitude
Can stress cause a stroke?
There is clear evidence that stress can play a major role in causing a stroke. Elevated stress, both acute and chronic, constricts blood vessels and increases heart rate which put the body at an increased risk forming a blood clot in the vascular system, causing a stroke.
In addition to increased risk of stroke, stress has also been linked to cardiovascular disease such as heart attack and other heart conditions.
What is normal blood pressure by age?
The revised guidelines for normal blood pressure no longer take age into account. Normal blood pressure for all adults is less than 120 mmHg systolic blood pressure and less than 80 mmHg diastolic blood pressure. Essential hypertension is characterized as blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg. For a complete breakdown look at the table below:
Blood Pressure Category | Systolic Blood Pressure | Diastolic Blood Pressure | |
Normal | Less than 120 | and | Less than 80 |
Elevated | 120-129 | and | Less than 80 |
High Blood Pressure Stage I | 130-139 | or | 80-89 |
High Blood Pressure Stage II | 140 or higher | or | 90 or higher |
Hypertensive Crisis | Higher than 180 | and/or | Higher than 120 |
What is the main cause of high blood pressure?
High blood pressure has many different causes that all may play a role in developing hypertension including:
Lack of exercise
Poor diet
Diabetes
Obesity
Pregnancy
Family history
Can stress cause high blood pressure? Psychosocial risk factors for hypertension
In addition to the biological factors above, psychosocial factors such as low socioeconomic status, overall stress, social isolation, and marital status all play a role. Another key psychosocial component is racial discrimination, which has been shown to directly increase blood pressure in black women and men, and the Latinx population.
Why do I get nervous when I take my blood pressure?
Some individuals find themselves getting stressed out about the results of a blood pressure test before the doctor takes their blood pressure. This may actually cause a temporary increase in blood pressure due to the anxiety and stress caused by the test itself.
If you find yourself getting nervous over the test it may be worth taking your blood pressure at home or at a free blood pressure testing location to avoid the anxiety caused by going to the doctor. Alternatively you may practice some relaxation or meditation techniques prior to going to the doctor to ensure an accurate reading.
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